KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that officers seized 101 scale models of Neyland Stadium in Virginia.
Customs inspected the stadium models on Feb. 20 after they arrived from China. The replica stadiums were destined for an address in Arlington, Texas.
Custom officers suspected that the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mark on the electrical plug may have been used without authorization and detained the models to verify trademark authenticity.
Counterfeiters usually manufacture products using substandard parts.
"Affixing the UL trademark falsely implies that the stadium models’ electrical wiring has been certified to meet quality and safety standards for electrical equipment and wiring. That false assurance could be harmful to consumers who are used to trusting the Underwriters Laboratory safety certification program," Customs said.
On March 21, Customs trade experts verified that the UL mark was not authentic and constituted a counterfeit mark.
“Imagine a Volunteers fan proudly displaying his or her lighted replica stadium model only to wake up to the sound of the smoke detectors. This is a real danger posed by counterfeited electrical products” said Mark Laria, the Customs Area Port Director. “These stadium models are an odd thing to counterfeit, but this seizure proves that unscrupulous manufacturers and vendors will try to illegally profit on any commodity despite the potential threat it may pose to consumers.”
